Bidadi Farmers Seek Final Land Acquisition Notification for Byramangala, Kanchugaranahalli; D.K. Shivakumar Says No Forced Acquisition
Bengaluru, August 11: A delegation of farmers from areas around Bidadi met D.K. Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha and sought a final land acquisition notification for Byramangala and Kanchugaranahalli, saying they were willing to provide their land for the Bidadi Township project and wanted relief from restrictions associated with the red zone.
The farmers told Shivakumar that they had been facing difficulties because of the red zone and urged that the issue be resolved immediately. They said they were prepared to give their land and sought compensation, alleging that they were becoming victims of a political battle.
The delegation also alleged that former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had not responded despite repeated representations over the past 20 years and appealed to Shivakumar to address their grievances.
Sunil, a resident of Byramangala, said farmers in the area had suffered for the past two decades because of the red zone. He said agriculture had become difficult because of sewage from the Vrishabhavathi and claimed that while coconut plantations in some areas appeared green, they were not yielding adequately.
He also alleged that milk was contaminated and said the red-zone restrictions had prevented development activities, including the construction of hospitals and marriage halls. He claimed that while agricultural land in neighbouring villages could fetch bank loans of up to ₹1 crore, farmers in their area were unable to obtain even ₹1 lakh against their land. He added that farmers were also unable to sell their properties when they needed money for marriages or other emergencies.
The farmers complained of sewage odour and mosquito menace in the area. They said they did not want cash alone and were willing to become stakeholders in the township by accepting developed land under the project.
Some members of the delegation identified themselves as JD(S) workers but said development came before party considerations. They claimed that most local farmers were willing to provide land for the township and alleged that many of those participating in protests against the project had been brought from other constituencies.
An 80-year-old farmer, Yalakkigowda, said he had been associated with the JD(S) for 40 years and had repeatedly sought removal of the red-zone restrictions over the past 20 years. He alleged that Kumaraswamy had not acted on their requests and said he had seen people lose land for as little as ₹1 lakh.
Yalakkigowda also referred to the political dispute over discussions on the township project. He claimed that Shivakumar had invited Kumaraswamy to Vidhana Soudha for talks, while Kumaraswamy had instead called Shivakumar to Byramangala. He further alleged that farmers had urged Shivakumar not to attend because they feared clashes between supporters and opponents of the project.
Young farmer Harish Reddy said farmers had repeatedly approached Kumaraswamy seeking removal of the red zone but their representations had not been addressed. Referring to Kumaraswamy’s description of the Bidadi Township as his dream project, Reddy said the area had fallen behind while other regions around Bengaluru had developed rapidly.
Responding to the media after meeting the delegation, Shivakumar said hundreds of Bidadi farmers had met him and sought the final notification, saying they were ready to provide their land and wanted a combination of monetary and land compensation.
“I will discuss the matter with the officials and issue the final notification for the remaining villages. We will take land from those who voluntarily offer it. Nobody will be forced,” Shivakumar said.
Asked about the farmers participating in the padayatra against the project, Shivakumar claimed that only a few local farmers were present and that others had been brought from constituencies in the Mandya, Mysuru and Tumakuru regions.
He said political protests could not be prevented and added that the protesters were free to conduct padayatras every day. He said he had instructed the police not to stop them from walking.
Responding to a statement by BJP leader B.Y. Vijayendra, Shivakumar said farmers were still approaching the government offering their land and seeking compensation. He said that when around 1,000 acres were acquired during the BJP government, farmers had accepted compensation of ₹80 lakh to ₹90 lakh, and questioned why Kumaraswamy had not protested at that time.
Shivakumar said the issue could be discussed during the legislature session.
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